The New Defense Post #11

Welcome back to the eleventh edition of The New Defense Post—our weekly newsletter covering all things new defense in Europe and beyond.

In this edition, we’ll cover:

Benjamin & Paolo, European Defense Tech Hub (EDTH)

Defense is undergoing a major shift. Supply chains are moving from centralized hubs to decentralized production. In this new model, 3D printing plays a key role. But it isn’t the right fit for every situation.

Drones and systems are evolving. They now operate at higher speeds and face greater structural stress. As a result, improving the quality and mechanical properties of their frames is becoming increasingly important.

Roboze is betting that high-performance polymers and composites—printed close to where capability is needed—will replace many metal parts across air, land, sea, and space.

We sat down with Alessio Lorusso, Founder and CEO of Roboze, to talk origins, materials, deployable factories, and what it really takes to make additive manufacturing in defense.

Read the full interview on The New Defense Post

📰 Our Take: This is a notable step toward European sovereign ISR. Local manufacturing, combined with ICEYE’s mature technology, is an effective way to avoid over-reliance on non-European providers.

Space has been the future of warfare for quite some time. But now, with cheaper ways to launch payloads into orbit, it is becoming exponentially more crowded. There is a strong chance it will become one of the primary theaters of war if a major conflict occurs.

From a startup perspective, this sector has yet to heat up — but it will. Other players, like Lodestar, are already preparing for Star Wars. It’s only a matter of time, and the defense side of space tech is exceptionally valuable.

🗣 US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll: “We expect to purchase at least a million drones within the next two to three years, and we expect that at the end of one or two years from today, we will know that in a moment of conflict, we will be able to activate a supply chain that is robust enough and deep enough that we could activate to manufacture however many drones we would need.” (Reuters)

📰 Our Take: The US is finally waking up to the need to develop attritable systems at scale. They also understand the importance of building a supply chain that is both rapidly scalable and resilient.

One of the biggest strategic challenges for the Western world will be exactly this: decoupling our critical supply chains from China.

📰 Our Take: Nvidia has pledged sizable investments into UK and European startups aligned with its hardware/software stack. Backing PhysicsX would extend that strategy into industrial simulation and digital engineering.

After 16 years in uniform—beginning as a reconnaissance platoon leader in the French Marines and later a decade in special operations—one veteran explains why the best defense innovations start at the edge, not in a boardroom.

What Was Your Last Experience in the Special Forces?

I was part of a special unit, so we built special equipment for particular missions, fast. My job was to give the team the best tech and remove friction. We’d test in the field, iterate, and ship what worked.

What Separates “Regular” Forces From Special Forces in the French Army?

Mindset and incentives. In many Western militaries, risk-taking is limited. Back in 2008, the French military pushed hard against people buying off-the-shelf kits.

Standardization builds a collective, but it can also erode the pioneering spirit. Special operations can keep that spirit alive because they’re allowed to try, fail, and try again—quickly.

I will tell you a story. Early in the Mali operation, we deployed light forces and lacked basic supplies like maps. I got a GPS delivered, handed it to a tech guy in my unit, and told him to crack it open and load mapping.

It wasn’t elegant, but it worked. In service, you choose the rifle that fires reliably, not the one with the nicest brochure. Mission first.

What Distinguishes the Way Your Unit Approached Developing Equipment?

You need all three, or innovation dies.

What Kinds of Environments Make That Speed Possible?

The best regiments are outside big cities and close to training areas. You can walk out the door and test. That cuts weeks off cycles.

Who Do You Need to Speak to in the Army to Validate Your Product Idea?

Officers often don’t perceive the real problem because they’re too far from the edge. If you haven’t built with end-user, you’re designing for a slide deck.

From the moment you have an idea, go to the users. Ask questions first, prototype second.

Speak to the innovators embedded in units—innovation cells in regiments or brigades—who are your early adopters. Always ask: who’s my customer and who’s my user? Often, the customer is a non-commissioned officer; sometimes it’s a program office.

But if you’re building for pilots, talk to pilots—not generals. And remember: who uses it in the end determines the truth.

Do Special Forces Units Communicate and Exchange Information About Equipment?

When special forces train together, they swap notes. Someone sees a piece of kit and says, “Oh, nice—what’s that?” That’s often how first use spreads.

But you must think about scaling. Special units and base units don’t work the same. What thrives in a small team can suffocate at the brigade level if you don’t design for training, maintenance, and supply chains' constraints.

Has the French Army Adopted a New Approach to Innovation?

Yes—it’s moving back toward pioneering. You see more appetite to test, buy off-the-shelf when it makes sense, and iterate forward.

What Advice Would You Give to a Defense Tech Startup?

Love these insights? Forward this newsletter to a friend or two. They can subscribe on our website